Heather Ikert

Heather completed her PhD at the University of Waterloo under the supervision of Dr. Paul Craig and Dr. Barb Katzenback, where her research focused on fish stress responses, including molecular regulation through microRNA. Her training in molecular biology and environmental DNA provided a strong foundation for applied surveillance approaches for wastewater-based surveillance of viruses.

As soon as she completed her PhD, she joined the Servos Lab as COVID-19 wastewater surveillance project manager. In this role, she supervised co-op students and technicians involved in influent sample processing, RNA extraction, and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples. She also played a central role in managing and interpreting large surveillance datasets, developing Power BI dashboards to improve visualization and reporting of COVID-19 data across multiple regional public health partners. In addition, she coordinated project and stakeholder meetings, and contributed to the analysis and communication of surveillance results to public health unit